Very Married
by Caroline
Summary: [BB, first season] Angela finds Brennan perusing some questionable and amusing reading material. T for minor use of language.


TITLE: Very Married  
AUTHOR: Caroline  
SPOILERS: First season

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Angela Montenegro breezed by the office of her best friend and threw only a casual glance at the doorway... stopping dead in her tracks when her eyes settled on Temperance Brennan. She sat at her desk, looking 'like she'd stuck a fork in a toaster' -- as Hodgins would always put it -- while she had her nose buried in a book. It wasn't so much the sight of Temperance Brennan reading that had frozen Angela in her footsteps, but rather the title of the book that had caught her eye:

'Ten Keys to a Healthy and Happy Marriage'

Angela chuckled and, after rapping her knuckles on the doorframe as the obligatory courtesy knock, she stepped inside. "Sweetie, what the hell are you reading?"

Brennan, not at all perturbed by the intrusion, set the spine of the book down on her desk, folding her arms across it to hold it open as she looked up and replied, "I'm learning how to maintain my relationship with Booth. I think we need to re-establish our connection."

Angela's eyebrows raised at the final word to leave her friend's mouth, thinking, '_Connection, indeed!', _though outwardly she replied, "Your connection, huh? Are you aware that you're reading a book about maintaining a successful _marriage_?"

Predictably, her best friend merely rolled her shoulders in a shrug and spouted off, "Well in many ways, a mixed-gender partnership _is_ a marriage. And a partnership, or a marriage, will not remain successful unless both parties work at keeping their connection."

"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm," Angela nodded, "so how do you plan on achieving that with Booth? Couples therapy?"

Brennan gave her friend 'the Look' -- head inclined, staring up at her through her lashes unamused. "No." She then turned back to the book, flicking the corner of it with her finger. "Apparently, all we really need to re-establish our connection is just to make small-talk with each other more often."

Angela nodded. "Or, you could have more sex with each other. That'd work too."

"_More_ sex? We don't have _any _kind of sex with each other."

"Yes you do, Sweetie. Don't play dumb."

Brennan barked an incredulous laugh. "Ange! Booth and I have never had sex!"

"I'm talking about _eye_ sex. And where _that_ is concerned, you two are insatiable. Seriously, I've been forced to take cold showers because of the all the eye-fuckage."

"I don't think that's a socially acceptable term to use."

"Oh, I do. It perfectly encompasses the way you and Booth look at each other. Would you rather I use some of your scientific lingo?" Her grin became devilish. "I could call it 'visual copulation' if that would make you feel better about it, but it still means the same thing."

Brennan only sighed and turned back to her book, obviously not amused. Not that she ever was. Angela watched her a moment, then continued with, "It's odd you're reading about marriage at all, Sweetie. I mean, aren't you the one that always says marriage is an 'antiquated notion' anyway?"

"I still believe that. I don't think it's necessary for two people to be legally tied together for eternity. Many species are monogamous and mate for life without any kind of written document connecting them. And in some cultures--"

Angela held up her hand to halt the oncoming lecture. "Thanks. Sweetie. Really."

"Sorry."

"No worries." She took a seat on her best friend's couch. "So what does Booth think of your new reading material?"

"He doesn't know about it."

Angela fought the chuckle and rose to her feet again, heading toward the door. "Please let me be there when you tell him. I'd love to see the look on his face."

"Okay." Brennan's voice was filled with distraction -- predictably, she was nose-deep in her marriage manual again.

"Bye, Sweetie!" Angela called over her shoulder.

Just before she rounded the corner, she heard her best friend on the phone with Booth: "Hey Booth? Do you think we need some time off from each other in order to re-establish and strengthen our connection? ...What do you mean, 'what the hell am I talking about'?"

Angela could only shake her head and laugh. Antiquated notion or not, that settled it -- the anthropologist and the FBI agent were very, very married.

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FIN

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AUTHOR'S NOTES: To all those waiting for "Undoing" and "Nothing Personal" -- yes, I'm well aware I haven't updated in forever and I do apologize. I'm sure for those of you that are fellow authors, you understand that you must write what is inspiring to you. And right now, inspiration resides in my newly-canon 'Office' ship (Michael & Jan), and the newest ship to make my list, Wilson & Cameron from House, M.D. I promise I'll get back to writing Bones just as soon as it inspires me to do so again. Until that time, I really hope you enjoyed this little best-friendship ficlet! 


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